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(No Model.)

R. J. MURPHY. PUZZLE.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ROBERT J. MURPHY, OF SKANEATELES, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TO W. J. DOYLE, OF SAME PLACE.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,022, dated July 14, 1896. Application filed May 23,1895. Serial No. 550,333, (No model.)

To all whom it may conceive:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Skaneateles, in the county of Onondaga, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to puzzles of that class in which is employed a box or receptacle and movable objects therein, the object of the puzzle being to so move the objects about as to get them in a certain predetermined relative position.

Heretofore it has been proposed to construct a puzzle of this class with a turn-table seated in a depression in the board or base with the outer face of the turn-table flush with the face of the base and the table provided with a knob to facilitate its rotation. This turntable was provided with a dovetail groove, in which the blocks correspondingly dovetailed were fitted to slide, followers being provided bearing against the outer blocks and said followers rigidly connected by a rod. I dispense with the knob by making the turn table of a height greater than the depth of the recess in which it is fitted, so that the projecting portion serves for the fingers to grasp and turn the said turn-table. My blocks are circular in form and are loosely placed within the channels in the base and turn-table, so that any one of them may be removed to be placed in another position and no followers are necessary. In these features of construction reside the gist of my present invention.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved puzzle with the buttons or blocks in position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same 011 the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a' vertical section at right angles to Fig. 2, the section being taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the turn-table of the puzzle removed.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the base or platform, which may be in the form of a receptacle or boX, if desired, in this instance shown as polygonal in its outline, but other shapes may be adopted. This platform is shown as provided with a central circular depression a, in which is fitted to be moved with ease the circular turn-table B, which is provided with a transverse channel I), the turn-table being of a height somewhat greater than the depth of the recess or depression, so that it will project above the top face of the platform, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, where it may be readily grasped by the fingers of the hand to turn the same.

The base or platform is provided with a plurality of pockets A, arranged outside the central depression, as shown, and communicating therewith, being open at their inner ends. There may be more or less of these pockets. In this instance I have shown six, but this number is not essential.

O are the blocks, buttons,or movable obj ects. They are numbered from 1 up, and are placed in the pockets and in the channel of the turn-table as shown. The pockets are of a depth much greater than the thickness of the buttons or blocks, as shown in Fig. 2, so that there is no danger of the blocks or buttons be ing displaced as they are moved about.

The blocks or buttons are placed in the pockets and in the channel of the turn-table in any but their numerical order and then moved about without jumping any of them or taking any of them out of the puzzle until they are in their proper order, the blocks numbered from 1 to 6 being in the pockets in the base and the other three in the channel of the turn-table in their proper order.

The parts may be of any suitable material and as ornamental as may be desired.

I am aware that it is not new to provide a box or base with a pathway for blocks loosely removable inserted therein, and a turntable having a notch or pocket adapted to receive one of said blocks, and hence do not seek to cover such, broadly, as my invention.

What I claim as new is The herein-described puzzle comprising a polygonal platform with a central circular depression and a series of annular depressions or pockets upon a higher plane than said cenless diameter than the width of the pockets tral depression, a turn-table mounted loosely and channels, substantially as and for the for rotation centrally within the central depurpose specified.

pression and having atransverse channel, ex- In testimony whereof I affix my signature 5 tending entirely through the same said turnin presence of two witnesses.

table being of a height to extend above the upper face of said platform, and independ- ROBERT J. MURPHY. ently-movable and vertically-removable cir- \Vitnesses: cular objects loosely arranged in said pockets MARTIN F. DILLON,

IO and in the channel of the turn-table and of "WILLIAM J. DOYLE. 

